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SAN JOSE, CA -- At its Health Summit held on September 14-16 here, the Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Forum (AAPIHF) urged a series of actions in a unified effort to eliminate health disparities.

                AAPIHF also marked its 20th founding anniversary during the summit. It continues to provide capacity-building services to community-based organizations serving AAPI communities in health areas such as chronic diseases, domestic violence and HIV prevention. It is based in San Francisco, and has an office in the nation’s capital in Washington, D.C.

The summit drew some 600 health advocates. It had over 50 workshops and plenary sessions, addressing diverse issues. Topics included diabetes, hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, research and data collection, mental health, emergency preparedness, disabilities, native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander health, and surviving cancer.

The summit also brought together health professionals from Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Latino, Asian, African and Native American communities for a town hall panel on health disparities. Panelists agreed on the need for a unified effort in eliminating health disparities.

The summit resulted in achievements and calls to action. Among these were:

1. It formed the National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians (NCAPIP). Its main goal: To add to a national voice to influence all levels of policymaking on issues facing the API community. It will also address the need for mentoring the next generation of Asian American doctors to be connected with community concerns. It also seeks to educate fellow physicians about the health disparities faced by APIs.

2. It urged a call for universal hepatits B vaccination for all APIs. AAPIs have the highest infection rate of hepatitis B, which could lead to liver cancer. According to Dr. Sam So, a Stanford University physician, there is little national research and resources in this because hepatitis B is not seen as a major health problem. A simple and inexpensive screening can determine if an API is infected.

3. It raised the need for broader coalitions and collaborations with key partners in urging systems to redesign their operations to incorporate language and cultural competence services, and also the need to develop leaders for strengthened domestic violence and HIV/AIDS prevention.

4. It cited the need to improve the knowledge and health outcomes for APIs through collaborative, equal partnerships between academic researchers and community organizations.

5. It called for integrating native healing and traditional medicine into allopathic health care, stressing cultural, traditional healing practices have been integral to the health and wellness of Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders.

6. It underscored the importance of reaching API families to help empower them so that people with disabilities can live independently with appropriate resources and services.

Federal officials gave reports on the Medicare prescription drug program. Advocates explained the new Medicaid changes that would require documentation of citizenship for U.S. citizens who receive Medicaid. Representatives from over ten agencies within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) promised to work closer with the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community to build stronger partnerships in addressing the API health concerns.

"This is not an Asian Pacific Islander issue. It’s an American issue," commented Dr. Garth Graham, deputy assistant secretary for Minority Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, who spoke at the closing session.

Health advocates

Most of those who came to the summit, with the theme "Two Decades, One Mission, United For AAPI Health." were advocates who have devoted themselves over the years to the health movement. They represented a cross-section of health practitioners, researchers and advocates: public health officials, doctors, researchers, government officials and community advocates.

Dr. Ho L. Tran, AAPI president and CEO, said, "We are overwhelmed with the energy and passion the attendees have brought to the summit. They contributed to robust dialogues and recommendations for action. Together, we will increase public awareness and foster collaborations to improve the health well-being of all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders."

Elected officials also spoke at the gathering. Among them: US Congressman Mike Honda, the chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, US Congress Members Eni Faleomavaega and Madeleine Bordallo, California State Assembly Members Wilma Chan and Alberto Torrico, and Minnesota State Senator Mee Moua.

In 1986, then Secretary of Health and Human Services Margaret Heckler released a report on the state of minorities’ health. It claimed that AAPI health was better than most Americans, making them a model healthy minority. Reacting to this, a group of doctors from San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York Chinatowns established the APII Health Forum. The goal" To advocate for community-based research in AAPI populations, disaggregated data collection to accurately measure the health status within and among ethnic sub-groups, and the establishment of language access and cultural competence as part of the quest for quality health care.

The summit was co-sponsored by the Office of Minority Health-Department of Health and Human Services, The California Endowment, The California Wellness Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Chinese Community Health Care Association, the Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations, American Diabetes Association, National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association and the Asian Liver Center at Stanford University